Religion and Politics from a Young Christian in Northern Virginia

Allowing for Mystery in Theology

December 11th, 2012

I was recently struck by reading Isaiah 55:8-9 by how much of God we probably can’t comprehend.

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

We can’t measure the distance that is described in this metaphor. Where is heaven? How far is it from earth? If we ever could measure the distance, could we ever comprehend the magnitude of the distance? We can barely comprehend what 1 trillion dollars looks like. Can we really comprehend the distance of light-years? God’s ways are incomprehensibly higher than ours. God thinks on a level so much higher than us that we are able to think.

The more this sinks in, the more it seems laughable to completely understand God, and instead a desire to revel in the mysteries and incomprehensibility of God. Libertarianism is a political philosophy that thrives on logically explaining every seeming inconsistency. Similarly many Christians try to explain away every issue. But can we really logically explain everything about a God who thinks incomprehensibly higher than we do? Are you willing to accept mystery in your theology, even more than that are you willing to accept that some of the things you believe may not be true?